Huawei P8 Lite review

The Huawei P8 Lite currently has an Informr score of 6.7 out of 10.
This score is based on our evaluation of 11
sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

The "1-Minute" Review

What's good

Good battery life

Decent picture quality

Generally smooth performance

Attractive design

What's bad

Low resolution display

Screen occasionally non-responsive

Slow shutter speed

In order to appeal to different markets, Huawei has released two different iterations of the P8 flagship. There's the monstrous P8 Max and the P8 Lite. The P8 Lite is priced to attract the more budget conscious shoppers, but in order to reduce the price tag Huawei had to make some sacrifices. The most notable is its all-plastic build. Still, reviewers consider it to be a fairly attractive device thanks to its curved corners and slim (0.3-inch) profile. It also surprised them with its excellent grip, which comes courtesy of its brushed plastic back and faux metal frame.

At 5-inches, the 720p resolution display offers a decent pixel density of 295ppi. While certainly not as clear and sharp as a Quad HD screen, experts describe it as a decent enough. They could still notice pixels, but it offered good color reproduction, wide viewing angles and maximum brightness high enough for good sunlight legibility. Some reviewers experienced issues with touch sensitivity having to frequently tap and double tap multiple times in order for their action to register.

Packed with a 1.5GHz octa-core processor and 2GB of RAM, the P8 Lite falls in line with other devices in its price range. Experts generally had smooth performance when swiping around the home screen and Android Authority adds, "The overall experience was mostly fluid, and the UI was fast and responsive most of the time." The Lite also comes with 16GB of onboard storage, which can be expanded further via microSD card and 4G LTE connectivity. What impressed critics the most was the longevity of the 2,200mAh battery. They were able to easily breeze through a day of moderate usage without the need to reach for a charger and a full two days when only doing the most basic activities. The only way they were able to drain the battery in less than a day was to keep the screen at max brightness, watch movies and do a ton of web browsing. Even then, they were able to get five hours of use. This is great news for consumers as the P8 Lite's battery is not removable.

The P8 Lite comes equipped with a 13MP main camera. For the most part, critics were able to get decently colored and detailed images in good lighting conditions though they add colors generally tend to be a bit dull. Low light settings were different story, resulting in a lot of noise and lack of details in their pictures. They suggest this is due to the lack of optical image stabilization and slow camera shutter. It took some experts a full two seconds from pressing the button for the pictures to actually process.

For many reviewers, the Huawei P8 is a difficult phone to recommend due to its various shortcomings. Anand Tech states, "At this time there are simply better options in the…price point." Tech Radar adds, "…the P8 Lite simply can't keep up with the competition."

What the Critics Are Saying...

Very good for basic usage, taking pictures or even as a starter phone, the P8 Lite will do well until you need sheer grunt power or better battery life. But for the price it is a solid handset and quite popular with the paying population according to my discreet enquiries with retailers.

- Sunetra Chakravarti, Mobile Choice

The P8 Lite's surprisingly good camera doesn't quite make up for average performance and a disappointing display.

- Kyle Wiggers, Digital Trends

The Huawei P8ite really does match the best of two worlds. The exquisite styling of the P8 is beautifully and masterfully carried over to the more affordable device, without any obvious compromises. If it is good looks you are after, then you really needn't look further than the P8lite.
Surprisingl...

- GSMArena team, GSMArena

Buyers of the P8 lite get a solid device that convinces with a smooth operation, good voice quality and a decent screen in practice. The chassis leaves a good and pretty sophisticated impression in general as well, even though the build quality reveals shows some small flaws like the wobbly buttons....

- Andreas Kilian , Notebookcheck

Buyers who need a phone and can’t take advantage of a cheaper upgrade from their GSM carrier can get a decent budget phone with good performance, a nice camera and bright screen for far less than they could get most other phones.
Don’t bother with the Huawei P8 Lite if you hate plastic...

Prices (Where to Buy)

Common Questions

Huawei P8 Lite prices will vary depending on retailer, age, special offers and whether or not it's purchased with a service plan. If purchased with a 2 year service contract for example, you would likely pay much less for the phone itself up front. Huawei's suggested retail price is $249.99. You can compare P8 Lite prices from around the web here on The Informr.

If your P8 Lite has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Huawei support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Huawei's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.

Rate It:

Critic Reviews

Light by name & game

Very good for basic usage, taking pictures or even as a starter phone, the P8 Lite will do well until you need sheer grunt power or better battery life. But for the price it is a solid handset and quite popular with the paying population according to my discreet enquiries with retailers.

Very good for basic usage, taking pictures or even as a starter phone, the P8 Lite will do well until you need sheer grunt power or better battery life. But for the price it is a solid handset and quite popular with the paying population according to my discreet enquiries with retailers.

Strong on price, but light on performance

The P8 Lite has a good camera. It’s attractive. A few of its software features are legitimately novel, and its battery life is no worse than middle-of-the-pack. But in the budget market that the P8 Lite occupies, middle-of-the-pack no longer cuts it.

Its display doesn’t measure up to the similarly priced competition like Alcatel’s Idol 3. The P8 Lite’s performance is average at best, and it takes disappointingly poor video. Those might sound like minor niggles, but they’re cardinal sins in a price bracket where bang for your buck is everything...

The P8 Lite has a good camera. It’s attractive. A few of its software features are legitimately novel, and its battery life is no worse than middle-of-the-pack. But in the budget market that the P8 Lite occupies, middle-of-the-pack no longer cuts it.

Its display doesn’t measure up to the similarly priced competition like Alcatel’s Idol 3. The P8 Lite’s performance is average at best, and it takes disappointingly poor video. Those might sound like minor niggles, but they’re cardinal sins in a price bracket where bang for your buck is everything.

We called the P8 Lite’s namesake, the P8, an “accomplished” and “confident” phone that is “worthy of your attention.” Perhaps at a lower price point, the same could be said of its smaller sibling. But as things stand, the P8 Lite just doesn’t measure up.

Style on a budget

The Huawei P8ite really does match the best of two worlds. The exquisite styling of the P8 is beautifully and masterfully carried over to the more affordable device, without any obvious compromises. If it is good looks you are after, then you really needn't look further than the P8lite.

The Huawei P8ite really does match the best of two worlds. The exquisite styling of the P8 is beautifully and masterfully carried over to the more affordable device, without any obvious compromises. If it is good looks you are after, then you really needn't look further than the P8lite.

Surprisingly enough, the P8lite is also quick on its feet and holds its own in the hardware department. Huawei's custom chips have always been far from perfect, but when priced correctly and packaged up in such a stunning shell, they are no longer a drawback. You will get just as much power from the Kirin chip as any other current midrange offer form MediaTek or Qualcomm, making the P8lite a truly sensible choice.

Good device for all users that are looking for a good price-performance ratio

Buyers of the P8 lite get a solid device that convinces with a smooth operation, good voice quality and a decent screen in practice. The chassis leaves a good and pretty sophisticated impression in general as well, even though the build quality reveals shows some small flaws like the wobbly butto...More

Buyers of the P8 lite get a solid device that convinces with a smooth operation, good voice quality and a decent screen in practice. The chassis leaves a good and pretty sophisticated impression in general as well, even though the build quality reveals shows some small flaws like the wobbly buttons. The slimmed down smartphone lacks some features of the high-end sibling P8, but nothing important is missing.

Huawei built this budget phone to last

Buyers who need a phone and can’t take advantage of a cheaper upgrade from their GSM carrier can get a decent budget phone with good performance, a nice camera and bright screen for far less than they could get most other phones.

Buyers who need a phone and can’t take advantage of a cheaper upgrade from their GSM carrier can get a decent budget phone with good performance, a nice camera and bright screen for far less than they could get most other phones.

Don’t bother with the Huawei P8 Lite if you hate plastic phones, out of date versions of Android, or low resolution screens. Also, if you use your phone as a phone, then find another one since you’ll sound horrible to people talking to you. For these reasons we can’t recommend the Huawei P8 Lite to very many people.

Specs, while still decent, are frustratingly lower than larger model

While the P8 Lite has a lot of things going for it – namely, its attractive build and beautiful edge-to-edge display – it’s somewhat difficult to recommend it due to its very poorly-implemented Emotion UI. Rarely is Android skinned in such a user-unfriendly way, and the phone is unfortunately much weaker for it...

While the P8 Lite has a lot of things going for it – namely, its attractive build and beautiful edge-to-edge display – it’s somewhat difficult to recommend it due to its very poorly-implemented Emotion UI. Rarely is Android skinned in such a user-unfriendly way, and the phone is unfortunately much weaker for it.

It gets plenty of points for its solid performance, good battery life, and its aforementioned build (and heck, even its respectable unlocked price). But when it comes down to it, usability is paramount to a good-quality smartphone, and the P8 Lite struggles in that department. So keep that in mind when considering this one.

Still not stepping up

Why is this phone priced in contention with the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 and ASUS ZenFone 2 when its spec sheet and its features just don’t match up? AOT and ASUS have invested heavily into their mid-range showcase devices and it shows. Huawei, by the nature of their lineup, is treating this device as an also-ran that can fetch some extra profits for its bottom line. Different strokes for different folks....

Why is this phone priced in contention with the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 and ASUS ZenFone 2 when its spec sheet and its features just don’t match up? AOT and ASUS have invested heavily into their mid-range showcase devices and it shows. Huawei, by the nature of their lineup, is treating this device as an also-ran that can fetch some extra profits for its bottom line. Different strokes for different folks.

But my biggest concern relates to how serious we can take Huawei any further. Given how we have yet to see the company’s devices appear anywhere in the US outside of budget carriers like MetroPCS, we’re wondering whether the company’s “two legs, walking” bet will work out. Will the P8 Lite stand on its own, unlocked and free to purchase online? Or will the company have better phones negotiated into larger carriers’ showrooms? That’s Huawei’s way of cracking into America and beyond, at least on paper. We’ve yet to see fruition and so, it seems, has Huawei.

Outclassed by similarly priced phones

Typically, the "lite" version of anything — be it beer, soda or FM radio — indicates that the product has fewer calories or lower fat, but all too often, is code for a watered-down version of the real thing. Such is the case with the Huawei P8 Lite. This smaller, less expensive version of the P8 has a capable camera and dual SIM card slots, but a lower-resolution display and way-below-average battery life make this device much less of a bargain than similarly priced, unlocked smartphones...

Typically, the "lite" version of anything — be it beer, soda or FM radio — indicates that the product has fewer calories or lower fat, but all too often, is code for a watered-down version of the real thing. Such is the case with the Huawei P8 Lite. This smaller, less expensive version of the P8 has a capable camera and dual SIM card slots, but a lower-resolution display and way-below-average battery life make this device much less of a bargain than similarly priced, unlocked smartphones.

For the same $249 price, the OnePlus One and OneTouch Idol 3 have larger and sharper displays and much better endurance. If you're willing to pay $50 more, the Asus Zenfone 2 offers much swifter performance. So we'd leave this Lite off your list.

A good entrant in the budget-friendly smartphone space

The P8 Lite is certainly a solid entry to the budget-friendly smartphone segment, and gets some things right, especially in terms of battery life. That said, things are already extremely competitive in this space, with some fantastic offerings from other OEMs like Asus, Alcatel, and Motorola figh...More

The P8 Lite is certainly a solid entry to the budget-friendly smartphone segment, and gets some things right, especially in terms of battery life. That said, things are already extremely competitive in this space, with some fantastic offerings from other OEMs like Asus, Alcatel, and Motorola fighting for dominance. The P8 Lite falls short in some key areas when compared to its competition.

Looks good, but there’s definitely less of that premium feel

On paper, the $249.99 price of the Huawei P8 Lite is an attractive one that no doubt commands attention. While we appreciate how it does its best to emulate the design of the P8, the phone is greeted with stiff competition already out of the gate – the Asus Zenfone 2 and Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3, which we’ve been recalling throughout this review. These two direct competitors are priced similarly as the Huawei P8 Lite, but they both seem to be better spec’d than this...

On paper, the $249.99 price of the Huawei P8 Lite is an attractive one that no doubt commands attention. While we appreciate how it does its best to emulate the design of the P8, the phone is greeted with stiff competition already out of the gate – the Asus Zenfone 2 and Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3, which we’ve been recalling throughout this review. These two direct competitors are priced similarly as the Huawei P8 Lite, but they both seem to be better spec’d than this.

After checking out what those two phones offered, it’s tough for the P8 Lite to garner the same level of attention from consumers – not only from a specs point of view, but also from a performance standpoint. Most folks will be content with the value it offers for the price, but it simply can’t match the Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3 in terms of overall value. This one has a 720p screen, that one has a 1080p one. This one has Android 4.4 KitKat, while that one has Android 5.0 Lollipop. See what we’re getting at here?

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